Sept '07... I'm forever blowing raspberries and my cheeks ache from smiling so much....

[PurpleLostPrincess]

Here we go! (or should I say here wii go!?). I'll try doing a link too...

Incidentally, I had a dream last night that Cerys suddenly learnt how to blow proper raspberries! Don't know where it came from but it could be that she has been trying since she was about 4 weeks old and did it entirely by accident yesterday!

PLP xxx

Thanks for that MrsFish, I shall be joining you on 1st Feb. x x x

Sophus - Good on you

PLP, there's a mum here who's after a bit of advice about baby colostomies. Her baby must be similar in age to Cerys.

morning all

amum and acmum - thanks for words of support. Think as you say, majority are still in the world of puree, others are just more vocal.

acmum - no you arent being miserable. I love w/e's - its when I get to put my feet up and send DH off to change nappy/ do bath etc. It gives me a much needed break tbh. So you have every right to feel put out.

The plus side to making decision to drop bfeeding is that I am starting to make a few plans which involve leaving DH with Ryan all day. I know I could have done that already - but didnt feel like walking round with leaking engorged boobs because Ryan hadnt fed from them!

Hopey - great news on the gym. I am heading in there this morning after putting Ryan back down for his morning nap. Then doing leg work - lunges and squats here I come. Yikes!

Sophus -ah the 'baby dump' . anyone who gets the sunday times and reads dad rules in the style section will know what I am going on about. Good on you!

Kink - how are you feeling? Thinking of you? what time is your appt tomorrow?

Hello Mrs F!

Right, off to get ready for poppet waking. Ocado deliver shopping this morning and I also get to make carrot, apple and sweet potato purees. Am soooo sad to be excited about that arent I?

Dal, I've got to be there at 12, been told I should be home by 5. Just about figured out babysitting. Liam is staying with dh so I can give him a last minute feed. Ds2 off to mil. But I have to get someone to sit with me in the evening while dh collects him (apparently I mustn't be on my own because of the sedation). I just need to ask someone to collect ds1 from school/drama club until dh can get him.

I think I've got enough milk stored. By the end of today I'll have 6 x 5oz. I'll get a few small cartons of readymade formula just in case. I've only got 2 bottles, but that should do if we keep sterilising. Hopefully he'll take to it ok, he's not had a bottle since he was 6 weeks old when I was in with pnueumonia (I had a scan which meant I couldn't feed for 24 hours then either).

Hopey, am at all you mums to little girls who can buy all those gorgeous dresses. Ds1 seems to have a problem with me wanting to buy dresses for Liam. Even ds2 screams when I hold a dress up against him. Spoilsports.

Sophus, I like your tactics. I will remember that for next time dh comes back after being away. Did he bring you back a massive present?

Take care everyone.

Morning everyone.
Very impressed with those of you gym-ing and exercising. I've done nothing since Paul was born except a few sit-ups. But then I never went to a gym before I was pregnant, either . Besides, now that Paul weighs over a stone, I reckon that lugging him around in his baby sling is exercise enough!

I absolutely love all the videos everyone's put on the site. I don't have a video camera, sadly, so I'll have to make do with good old photos for now. Kelm, I'm going to have to make Paul watch Arben in his bouncer. Paul quite likes his, but all he does at the moment is hang there and twist himself round and round .

Hopey, your stepmum sounds fab . And love the fact that Niamh's already doing her own interior design.

Dal, I read your puree thread with great interest. I was hoping to wait until 26 weeks to BLW Paul, but over the last few days he's been as hungry as hell (he's currently 18 weeks). Our beautiful 4 hour feeding schedule has gone out of the window, and he's back to waking at 6am rather than 7am. He was also gazing at Daddy's breakfast this morning with something approaching lust. How many weeks was Ryan when you first gave him solids??

Kinki, best best best of luck for your bronchoscopy tomorrow. I hope everything will be fine, and am sending you big hugs .

Hi to everyone else!

Ooh, and can anyone give me some clothes advice?? Any ideas on what I might wear for a daytime event (a formal lunch at my old college in early March) when the dress code for men is lounge suits? I know where I am when the dress code is either black/white tie or casual, but I'm really crap on anything in between.

Kink - will be thinking of you. Sending you many positive vibes and hugs.

MrsB - I think a wrap / shift/ smart shirt dress will be appropriate for something like that. Some nice jewellry and low (or high) heels will set it off nicely for a daytime event. (Wrap and shift dresses are the best) - or if you are a trouser person, smart trousers with a nice shirt and jacket (not matching to the trousers) will be smart enough and tick all the formal boxes without being overly smart.

I introduced Ryan onto solids when he was between 19 and 20 weeks. I am following GF weaning plan and limiting his quantities - which he is not happy about at all! I have totally made the right choice IMO - he doesnt spit any food back out, mouth is wide open for spoon, he grabs the spoon and is trying to put it in himself. I think weaning early is a little bit more of a faff, I am sterilising everything (i.e. bowl/ spoons/ storage pots) - not letting him have too much too soon as his main calories have to come from milk still at this stage. But he is sleeping so much better. Do invest in the GF book - I have the AK one too but think the GF one makes much more sense and it is really working for Ryan.

Ran 5.5k in 40 mins this morning. feeling very proud of myself

Hiya!

Kinki, you are such a diamond telling me about that lady; and when you've got so much going on yourself - thank you so much ((hugs))

Well, we've had a few up and down days. Cerys is certainly much more vocal now and I'm trying to find a way of getting some videos online so I can do a link too - she was mezmorised when I played Niamhs video too lol!

Cerys had a not-so-good day yesterday too - red cheeks, dribble everywhere, not settling etc. Her shouting had a much more 'frustrated' tone to it but she seems to be happier today.

I'm very proud of myself - when we had a roast yesterday, I bought extra carrots and swede and when they were boiled, I blended some carrots, swede and a couple of potatoes and hey presto - babyfood!! (without salt of course). Cerys is my third child and its the first time I've ever made it myself

kinki, glad you've got babysitting/ebm etc all sorted out - extra big hugs to you again ((hugs))

dal - I completely agree with the others ref weaning. To be honest, I was completely unaware of all the stuff thats going on and had never heard of blw (took me a while to figure out what it stood for!). We did give Cerys a stick of carrot at dinnertime last night and she sucked/chewed on it for a few minutes but I'm just gonna go with a mixture of the two really. DS and DD1 are fine and they were weaned on puree at around 4 months old... (I think I may have already said that so sorry if I'm repeating myself). As far as bf'ing goes - a big pat on the back for getting as far as you have and you should go with whatever you feel happy doing. I'm in the camp of wishing I had persevered for longer than I did and I totally admire all of you who are still bf'ing!

acm - I would be well and truly pissed off if DH did that and you're well within your rights imo.

Ooooh, gotta dash as my Dad is popping round for a cup of tea, will continue catching up later as I've not finished lol!

(((hugs))) PLP xxx

Kelmcd is now Arbensmum, just thouhgt i'd say
MrsB - I started Arben on 'food' at about 18-19wks and as Dal has said i think it was the right time for him. To begin with he just had babyrice, a teaspoon or so once a day, i then introduced some bannana/pear/apple at breakfast, which he loves, and occasionaly he will have some veg at dinner. He is still spitting that out more than the fruit so its not daily thing yet.
It hasn't really affected his sleeping yet and if anything he is still having an extra feed at night. He has his bottle (8ozs) at about 10.30pm then he has 5ozs at 2am then 5ozs at 6am. I think his waking is partly due to the fact that he doesn't take as much as i think he should take during the day. For his 9/10am bottle he only takes 4 ozs and the same for his midday feed. Later in the day he does take 6ozs at 3/4pm and then at 6-7pm.
How much are othe FF bubs taking? i gues he would have approx 34ozs in 24hrs. is that too much/toolittle/just about right?
Hope you are all otherwise well and not too tired

New pics, results of giving brekkie

sounds like a few babies on here are a bit grizzly, anna too. She woke up with red cheeks and (tmi warning) her poos are a bit mucousy and she is quite windy. Wondering if she has a squiffy tummy or is teething.

Very of those with the willpower to exercise. My MIL patted me on the hips on Saturday and told me I had "extra padding" and "you'll never get rid of that". we shall see about that! DH couldn't believe she would say something like that, she is normally not like that. I am actually only 2 lbs above my pre-pregnancy weight which is only 7lbs above my ideal weight but I think everything has re-distributed. I am giving up chocolate for Lent (I am not religious but always try to give something up for Lent, seems as good a time as any!! ).

kinki - good luck, hope it all goes really well!!

to those Dh's going away and leaving poor tired mums to fend for themselves, bloody selfish imo. Luckily my DH can't get far .

hopey - my DH went back to work part time today. He drove our car (it is an automatic and his left leg is broken so he has been cleared to drive) and was amazed at how slow the traffic was. Turned out that it was because someone had a motorcycle accident in exactly the same spot he had!! Luckily the guy was standing up when DH finally drove past but he said it looked like he had a broken arm and the bike was a writeoff - how spooky is that!!!

dal, hope your session in your garage went well. Our treadmill is still covered in a thick layer of builders dust from when we were having that work done last yr, hope it still works, it's not that old - eek. Also, wow, you sound very savvy about clothes etc, I'm useless. I will get myself smartened up once I shift this weight, my wardrobe is somewhat limited at the mo!

kinki, been thinking of you loads over the weekend. How are you keeping. Are they going to do it with light sedation tomorrow or GA? You're amazing you've still got your sense of humour, you did make me giggle about the prospect of dressing your boys up in 'pretty things' !

MrsBumble, Niamh is pretty much doing the same thing as Paul, she hasn't quite sussed the up and down bit yet, but she has fun nevertheless.

PLP, I'm like you, I didn't make my own food for my other 2, this is the first time I'm doing it 'properly'. I did attempt it a couple of times with the boys, but like most babies they rejected it initially, but I didn't persevere. Bit older and wiser now I guess.

Canadianmum at your MIL's comments!! Cheek! Oh my goodness, that must have been so weird for your DH, it's good the motorcyclist today was up and walking, v lucky. I'm glad he's managing to get back into work a bit, I think it does wonders for your recovery getting up and about. My DH ran 10 miles yesterday morning in training for the London marathon!

I'm trying to have a productive day today but keep getting distracted by Mumsnet!! Well I've managed to get quite a few bits done this morning, sold a load of Niamh's clothes on ebay and took them to the post office, got quite a few bits yet to put on. I sold her crib, which she didn't end up using and only lost about £13 on what I paid for it!

Not much more to add from this end, hope you all have a lovely day. About to heat up leftovers from the weekend's takeaway mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm, diet starts Fri, but until then....

Arbensmum - FAB FAB pics on your profile!!!!!

Thanks for the clothes tips, Dal. Now all I've got to do is find something along those lines in my wardrobe... . I do have a nice wool shift dress, but I'm not sure it will look quite as good as it used to when I had a flat stomach. Still, all the people at the lunch will be ex-Classics students, like me, and as a bunch they're (we're!) known for their eccentricity, so I'm not sure anyone will care much what I wear!

Arbensmum (like the new name!), I reckon Paul takes somewhere between 30 and 35oz of formula milk a day. I don't think he drinks all that much compared with some other babies I know of the same age - quite reassuring to know he's along the same lines as Arben. Also, he flatly refuses to take more than 7oz at a feed, no matter how hungry he is - maybe because he has a tendency to reflux/vomit?? It's annoying, because we were on a great 4 feeds plus dreamfeed schedule, but now I'm having to feed him more often because he's getting hungry sooner, and won't take any more milk at a feed. I do count myself lucky that he doesn't wake at night - though 'morning' is now about 5.45/6am, when it used to be 7am.

Love your breakfast photo! I've just added a couple more of Paul.

MrsB - LOL at the bounce pic it took Arben a bit before he actually got how to jump!!! he used to just spin aswell. One tip - make sure his feet only just touch the ground almost tip toe, if Arben has too much contact he doesn't bounce
I dont know how you start your day so early, does Paul no tgo back to sleep after that? Arben is quite good and sleeps til between 8-10am so i get that sleep to thankfully!

We have thwe same bouncer!!

No, Paul doesn't really do sleeping in the day, I'm afraid. He doesn't go down again until about 8.30, and in total usually only has three sessions of 30-45 mins between waking up and bedtime. And anyway, if I want the car for the day I have to take DH to work at about 7.30am. It's just as well I'm a morning person, really!!

I'm back!

Dad popped round for a cup of tea but couldn't stay long as we were getting ready to leave as it was DH's clinic appointment. Turns out he should be on triple the dose of ad's he is on so they're going to write to his GP - he is back up to double from tomorrow, hope he doesn't react again!

I'm going to call the gp this afternoon to see if Cerys's dose of ranitidine can be upped - dawned on me that she is being sick again and all her reflux traits seem to be coming back and the dose she is on now was based on her being 3.5 kilos - she is now 5.5 kilos (probably even more when I get her weighed on Thurs)!!

Anyway, I've updated Cerys's photo diary but I'm not sure how I should go about providing you guys with access as its password protected now... ? I'm thinking of setting up a different account on the same one for her little movies that I've done with the digital camera - any better ideas?

I wanted to say a big HELLO to each of you individually but Cerys just woke up then it'll be the school run so I'll try again later on - a womans work is never done lol!

((hugs)) PLP xxx

Ok finally catching up, what a weekend!!

Arbensmum: Just seen that little vid of Arben in the bouncer, he's soooo cute!! He's also got the same bald patch as Lucy! lol Liking the mucky pup look, might try and get a good one of Lucy like that (Got a killer one of DD1 when she was luvvin pureed carrots and sweet potatos. . . must dig that out and add it to the profile at some point!)

Hopey: Awwww @ Niamh, she's very vocal isn't she lol

Very of you both, we don't have a video camera, it's a shame really, but will be trying Freecycle for one, so, yet again, finger's crossed folks!

Dal: I didn't realise there were different ways of weaning babies When I start weaning DD1 I just used baby rice and pureed fruits and veg for the 1st couple of months then introduced jarred baby foods and those powdered foods, might have a better scan of your thread and see what everyone else has to say as I didn't realise there was a different method!

Well my weekend has been a bit manic, after finally getting my nails done on Saturday DH's cough decided to step it up a notch so he's been a delight to be around! He didn't want to go to his parent's after I had my nails done on Saturday but I totally insisted, knowing full well that we weren't doing anything on Sunday and I did not want to be stuck in for a whole week with nothing to do just cos he's got a cough, so we went to his parent's which was alright.
Then yesterday appeared and he felt even worse, fair enough, but he drugged DD1 up (she's got a cold now too) and then went to bed himself for nearly 2 hours whilst I'm sat downstairs struggling with Lucy to get the new formula down her, which she blatantly wasn't taking to (which I discovered was more to do with the teats than the actual formula because she's now guzzling it down given half the chance!)
Anywho, I also attempted a discussion on plans for night feeds and introducing a bottle at night which he seemed fine with until I mentioned that I would greatly appreciate it if he fed her the bottle whilst I expressed some milk at the same time. He doesn't quite understand that I don't want to be up for half an hour fart arsing around when he could do one thing whilst I'm doing another and then we'd only be up for about 15 minutes in total, he's just being a lazy git! He thinks that just because he gets up at 6:40 (no, that's the time he sets the alarm for, he ACTUALLY gets up at 7:00) and I get up later, that I should do it all, he tends to overlook that fact that Lucy's sleep pattern lately consists of waking every 5 minutes (sometimes literally) because her dummy has fallen out, and who's the one getting up and putting it back in her mouth!? That's right, muggins here!
I give up! One minute he doesn't want me chucking him out of the house for doing bugger all and being generally annoying and the next he doesn't want to do anything and is being generally annoying! GRR!

Rant over! Now on with the week. . . filled with endless nothingness and children playng "let's make mummy cry" lol
later ladies!
xxx

(just wanted to add that I haven't got a clue how it works with kilos lol, I just know thats how they seem to work it out - as far as I'm concerned, she was 12lb 2ozs when last weighed!).

MrsBumblebee - my friends lo doesn't sleep at all in the day and I really feel for her. She sometimes has a quick 20 min nap but thats about it and she doesn't always have it. My SIL's boys were all the same, none of them slept and as far as I know her middle one (now 5) still doesn't sleep at night. I guess all babies/children are different but that doesn't make it any easier for you ((hugs))

All the new pics are just gorgeous!!!

Kyala - soory you had such a harrased weekend! My Dh did his first night feed last night for the first time in 3 mths. He too doesn't really understand how tiring it is waking up to them in the night, unbroken sleep is the worst!
PLP - hope you manage to get Cerys' ranitadine sorted, she gos thru enough without that on top of things. You must be so proud of her
Hopey - i have the same problem as you, i haver been saying that i will have a shower when Arben takes his next nap, he has had three and i am still in pj's

Can anyone give me any advice on a new hair cut. Haven't cut since i was 34wks and going on thursday.
I have had the same cut for ever and something new but am a big scaredy cat! Was wondering about getting some c=kind of fringe again but just dont know
I need to go on a tv programme where they just do what they want with your hair, thats what i need, someone just to do soemthing with it!

MrsB - the dress sounds as though it will be perfect. For those of you with LO's who dont nap - how on earth do you keep them entertained all day? Ryan is becoming more demanding!

PLP - hope you get cerys medicine sorted.

arbensmum - GF recommends staying away from banana and avocado before 6 months. Apparently they are both very hard to digest and may fill your bub up too much which means he cuts down on his daytime milk feeds and wakes at night to make up for it. Not sure whether she is right, but might that be a reason? If not, sorry to stick my sticky beak in.

Hopey - it should still work. Treadmills are quite resilient. Well they should be if we're pounding away on them! Savvy about clothes - LOL - no, just have some core wardrobe basics that I have learned work for every occasion.

Kyala - yup the other way is baby lead weaning, where basically - they eat what you eat (minus salt etc.) so you dont puree or anything and get them straight onto adult food at 6 months. As a result, purees gets quite a rough press and I wanted to know if they got rough press because there was any evidence to suggest that longer term it resulted in fussy eaters etc. It appears not - so with that, my freezer is now full of pear, apple, carrot and sweet potato puree!
Sorry that DH is being frustrating. Are you ok otherwise?

Arbensmum - oooh, new haircut alert! How exciting! Do you have a good relationship with your hairdresser? If so, I would tell them that you want a change but something (i would guess) low maintenance that doesnt require 30 mins of styling to look great. Fringe...been there and they are great, until you have to grow them out. For that reason also, I have grown my front layers out recently. I want to be able to scrape my hair up without bits dangling down for Ryan to grab. But if you want a fringe, go for it! Also - you could ask them to give you some hair magazines (get there early), have a looksie and see if there are any styles you like?

Hello to everyone else.

Sorry you're having a nightmare kyala, I can totally empathise as DH has been a bit of a nightmare lately too - will explain more later... ((hugs in the meantime though))

arbensmum, what teats are you using? Cerys was never a big milk drinker but when she had the heart problem, they told me to put her up a teat to make it easier so she went up to a 3+month teat at 7 weeks. I realised a couple of weeks ago that her milk intake had gone down again, or at least wasn't improving, so I put her up to fast flow teats. She guzzles it down no probs now and takes between 61/2 ounces and 9 ounces per feed !!!! AND I expected a complete mess going up a teat but she hardly drizzles - it barely touches the sides! Might be worth a try if you haven't tried it already...?

We've been buying/selling on ebay loads too hopey. I think I may have been conned out of £22 though I was looking at purple bumbo chairs but the lady had no feedback. She was selling mostly baby stuff and on the description it said to contact her directly for 'buy it now'. I offered her £13 plus postage and she said she would accept £15 to which I agreed and she explained she can't do 'buy it now' because of having no feedback. She closed the auction before I had a chance to bid so I paid her separately by paypal and we had a lovely banter in our messages. I haven't heard from her since and now I'm paranoid because all her listings have disappeared. I've tried sending her a message but haven't heard back at all. If it hasn't arrived by the end of the week I'll put in a complaint and I'll have to pay again for a bumbo